


The Memory Of Those Eyes

by TheWeepingRaven



Series: Walk Through The Mine Fields Of History [1]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012), Batman - All Media Types, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV), DC Extended Universe, DCU (Comics), Justice League - All Media Types, Smallville, The Flash - All Media Types
Genre: Alexis Luthor has a twin brother Alexei Luthor, Alive Julian Luthor, Alive Lillian Luthor, Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Alternate Universe - Marvel Cinematic Universe Fusion, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Anthony Harris is Lionel Luthor's Half-Brother, Apocalypse Fix-it, BAMF Bruce Wayne, BAMF Lex, BAMF Lex Luthor, Bad Parent Lillian Luthor, Bad Parent Lionel Luthor, Bisexual Clark Kent, Bisexual Lex Luthor, Bruce Wayne has siblings, Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, Child Abuse, Child Neglect, Clark Kent has siblings, Connor is Lex Luthor’s Adoptive Son, DC Universe Crossovers, Dawn Summers is Lex Luthor and Buffy Summer’s daughter, Dawn Summers is named Alexis Dawn Luthor, Domestic Violence, F/F, F/M, Fix-It, Fix-It of Sorts, Gen, Genius Lex Luthor, Good Parent Lillian Luthor, Good Person Lex Luthor, Good Sibling Bruce Wayne, Good Sibling Lex Luthor, Half-Siblings, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Lex Luthor & Bruce Wayne are Best Friends, Lex Luthor Being an Asshole, Lex Luthor With Powers, Lex Luthor has siblings, Lex Luthor is Xander Harris, Lex Luthor is a Good Uncle, M/M, Mentally Ill Lillian Luthor, Multi, Past Child Abuse, Protective Bruce Wayne, Protective Clark Kent, Protective Lex Luthor, Protective Siblings, Supernatural Elements, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It, Top Lex Luthor, Worldbuilding, Xander Harris is Lex Luthor, big brother Lex Luthor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-02-25 20:39:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21981526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWeepingRaven/pseuds/TheWeepingRaven
Summary: Given a second chance at life, Lex Luthor decides he is going to ensure a better future. However, what if Lex Luthor takes the place as Xander Harris in this life? How different would it be if Lex had more friends then his previous? What if he changed things for the better? Would things change with his second chance, or will he still go down his dark destiny?
Relationships: Angel/Buffy Summers, Angel/Darla (BtVS), Arlene Luthor/Henry Teague, Arlene Luthor/Jules Luthor, Bruce Wayne & Bryce Wayne, Bruce Wayne & Thomas Wayne Jr., Clark Kent & Kon-El | Conner Kent, Clark Kent & Lex Luthor, Clark Kent/Lex Luthor, Cordelia Chase/Allen Francis Doyle, Faith Lehane/Robin Wood, Jesse McNally/Anya Jenkins, Kon-El | Conner Kent & Lex Luthor, Lena Luthor/Whitney Fordman, Lex Luthor & Alexander Luthor Jr., Lex Luthor & Alexei Luthor, Lex Luthor & Alexis Dawn Luthor, Lex Luthor & Arlene Luthor, Lex Luthor & Bruce Wayne, Lex Luthor & Connor (AtS), Lex Luthor & Dawn Summers, Lex Luthor & Elena Luthor, Lex Luthor & Faith Lehane, Lex Luthor & Grant Gabriel, Lex Luthor & Jesse McNally, Lex Luthor & Julian Luthor, Lex Luthor & Lena Luthor, Lex Luthor & Leonard Luthor, Lex Luthor & Letitia Luthor, Lex Luthor & Lillian Luthor II, Lex Luthor & Lori Luthor, Lex Luthor & Lucas Luthor, Lex Luthor & Lucien Luthor, Lex Luthor & Lucinda Luthor, Lex Luthor & Tess Mercer, Lex Luthor & Willow Rosenberg, Lex Luthor & the Kents, Lex Luthor/Bruce Wayne, Lex Luthor/Buffy Summers, Lex Luthor/Original Female Character(s), Lex Luthor/Original Male Character(s), Lex Luthor/Spike, Lillian Luthor/Lionel Luthor, Nasthalthia Luthor & Lex Luthor, Pamela Jenkins/Lionel Luthor, Rachel Dunleavy/Lionel Luthor, Rachel Wayne & Bruce Wayne, Willow Rosenberg/Tara Maclay
Series: Walk Through The Mine Fields Of History [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1676071
Comments: 6
Kudos: 29





	1. Every Ending

**Author's Note:**

> I do apologize if there's any grammatical errors in this chapter. I did go over it a few times, to try and catch any mistakes, but I am only human.
> 
> After reading what I had written of this story previously, I have decided I was going to edit previous chapters and completely rewrite the story. This new idea came from reading other fanfiction regarding Smallville Time Travel Fix It stories that caught my interest. However, I wanted to do something a little different than the normal reasons that Lex Luthor would travel back in time. 
> 
> Essentially, the Lex Luthor who travels back in time, is the Lex Luthor who went through the Smallville TV series, but regained his memories after it's ending. With his knowledge of that life, (50 years worth) He decides to rewrite his history for his own benefit, while still working to save humanity. Lex is not a good man, he's a great man with a very morally grey compass.
> 
> This story will also have various DC Comic verses crossed over with this story, like the Justice League. Also TV series like The Flash, Arrow, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, Titans, Gotham, Lucifer, Constantine, etc. will make an appearance or mention in this story. 
> 
> Furthermore, Lex has an older sister ten years his senior, as well as four younger siblings from Lionel and Lillian. He has various half-siblings from Lionel too. 
> 
> I will be trying to combine Lex's history from both comic book, Smallville verse, and my own personal history, as Lex goes back to his past and changes his life for the better while also preparing for the eventual attack that nearly wiped out humanity. 
> 
> Excelsior Academy Preparatory School will reside in Sunnydale, California. Sunnydale is a very old town, and also will be a Hellmouth in this story, but only to a certain point in the story. There is a certain point in BTVS that I will stop following. Now I'm not sure if Excelsior has holiday and summer breaks where the students can leave the school, but for the sake of this story, it does.
> 
> You'll be seeing some parts from BTVS and Angel in this story. While Lex Luthor takes the place of Alexander "Xander" Harris, Alyxandra "Xandra" Harris exists and is six years younger than Lex and the Scooby Gang, making her birthday April 12th, 1986. 
> 
> Lex Luthor is the half-nephew of Anthony Harris and his wife Jessica Harris. They won't be drunks or abusive, they're be a bit like Lionel, as Anthony was raised like Lionel, as they are half-brothers. However, Lionel's parents are different from the Smallville verse, as obviously Lionel doesn't have a brother in canon. Anthony Harris, like his brother, is a successful business man and competitive by nature.
> 
> This story will be an endgame Lex Luthor/Clark Kent pairing. There will be various other relationships that will make an appearance before the endgame of Lex Luthor/Clark Kent happens, once Clark is legal, as there is a seven year age gap between them.
> 
> Lex’s birthday is January 11th, 1980, while Clark Kent’s birthday is May 3rd, 1987. 
> 
> Buffy, Willow, Jesse, Cordelia, and others of that generation are also born in 1980. 
> 
> Bruce Wayne’s birthday is February 19th, 1974. 
> 
> Lex Luthor in this story will bisexual (as I honestly figured in canon Lex was bisexual).

**October 7th, 2030**

**08:00 Hours**

**Location: Unknown**

Alexander “Lex” Luthor hit the warehouse door running. 

His black leather, military steel toe, oil resistant, jungle boots pounded against the pavement, as thighs burned with exertion from his steady pace. Blood dripped down the side of his face from a gash that ran from the middle of his forehead to his left temple, smearing his cheek, forehead, temple, and neck in red and staining his collar with blood. His ribs were broken, as the far too familiar sharp ridges of the broken ribs pressed against his lungs. Dirt, mud, and various other contaminants stained porcelain pale skin. 

Lex’s form was covered in black form fitting cargo pants, a black v-neck shirt beneath a military army swat vests for men with a waistcoat protective magazine pouch in black, and a black beanie that covered his bald head for protection. The clothes were dusty and covered in grime, blood, and other adulterants from his most recent skirmish with today's adversary. The dark clothing easily allowed him to slip in and out of the shadows that were contained inside the abandoned derelict buildings.

An array of hellish fire in an array of ruby red, bright orange, and dark yellow splashed off the burnt out ruins of what once was a department store, pulling Lex from his ruminations and back to the present. The triumphant howls and crackling of the Baazalanan increased in volume as they followed after Lex’s running form. It was all a sport to these particular aliens, which acted more like an animal than humanoid. 

From Lex’s peripherals was the shadow of a tall, nine foot, humanoid body that was thin as a spindle, with arms and legs jointed in too many places. There was white bone protruding in lumps through flesh, as blue as azure ink. Its neck was no wider than Lex’s wrist, its head more akin to a wolf than anything else. The wolf head stretched long and the mouth cut at the corners to fit in more serrated teeth. It's eyes were like the darkest shadow, a void of nothing, just empty and dreary. 

Lex cursed under his breath at the sight. With the  Baazalanan having caught his scent, it was only a matter of time before other alien species like Craels,  Hoahts, Outriders, Chitauri, Leviathans or Chitauri Gorilla’s, came about because of the noise the  Baazalanan were creating . He could only hope that no demons became attracted to the sounds as well. Lex wasn’t sure he had the energy to deal with both species at the same time. 

Lex barely paid any attention to the destruction and decimation of life that surrounded him. It went as far as the eye could see, in the once prosperous city. Now, it was nothing but ruins and remnants of what a civilization used to be. Throughout the world it was like this. Quiet and desolate locations that once was full of life. More often than not, in the city ruins, one could easily stumble across some species of alien or demon looking for an easy meal. It was a free for all, now that humanity has been nearly made extinct, and food being sparse. 

Partially melted rebar lay contorted among crushed concrete, a cage of metal bones, poised to ensnare the impudent in its spiny jagged grasp. Lex stumbled over the debris that were scattered among the ruins of decaying buildings and torn asphalts. The opening maws of buildings invited wariness for their darkened and despondent depths. Lex misjudged his steps as he made his way through the oil and waste that was hidden beneath the debris, barely holding onto his balance as he slips and slides through the mess. 

Concrete snagged at Lex’s shins as his foot plunged through a puddle, that was deeper than he had originally thought. Unaware of the dangers lurking beneath the surface, Lex’s leg was caught on a hidden chunk of jagged steel and momentum carried him downward, sending Lex sprawling across the pavement with a thud. His right knee struck the rubble with an echoing crack. 

The snarls and growls of the  Baazalanan rang in his ears. 

Pain blinded him for a brief moment as he attempted to gain his bearings. Lex was panting for breath as he attempted to stand on shaky and weak limbed arms, but could only lay there as he tried to gain his bearings. There was a coppery taste of blood that sat thick and heavy in his mouth and at the back of his throat. He could feel panic creeping up into his mind as he fought to continue to breath against the pressure of his broken ribs. The pain wasn’t helping him. He could feel the air cutting off, his throat closing tight. 

Darkness threatened to consume him. The menacing and sinister growls and hisses of the Baazalanan rattled in his skull, but it was too close for comfort, and another overwhelming sense of panic trembled through him. Lex fought viciously to keep himself conscious, as the danger neared closer. 

“Get your ass moving Luthor!” Lex hoarsely scowled to himself as he forced himself to stand, leaving smears of blood across the surface of the asphalt beneath him. His legs nearly gave out beneath his shaky and weakened body. Booted feet stepped over  broken marble and glass that glistened in the dim lighting of a heavy overcast sky, of what used to be a corporate office building. Thick fog obscured anything further than a couple of feet. It’s compacted mist hovered just a foot above ground, encasing any who dared to walk through it’s hold. There was no sound of life heard for miles, most animals having disappeared into the wild, or been killed off long ago. 

Black dots obscured his vision as his eyesight blurred and the world around him spun and swayed beneath his feet.  Fear and rage threatened to overcome the genius as  another burst of hellish fire sprayed past him, leaving the scent of acrid air behind it. Pieces of stone fell to the floor, rumbling with the sounds of concrete vibrating beneath his feet, as the Baazalanan came ever closer. 

Lex barred blood stained teeth in anger and irritation as he  move further away from the Baazalanan. He carefully adjusted the grip of his  single-shot M203, 40mm grenade launcher that was attached to his M16 assault rifle, that hung from a strap over his shoulder. Holsters for knives and semi-automatics clung to his thighs, lower back, and in his boots holster. His vest contained additional ammunition and grenades for times like this. 

Pulling an EMP grenade from one of the pockets in his vest, he pressed the side of the metal circular bomb and tossed it over to the group of  Baazalanan. The EMP grenade clattered to the ground, until it rolled to a stop right before the ever approaching horde of  Baazalanan . A steady beeping noise, like one might have heard from a timer, raised in volume until it reached its limit and a burst of bluish white light exploded outward in force field that spread outward like a fence, delaying the Baazalanan’s ability to move forward momentarily, while trapping them behind the shield. With another square shaped mechanism pulled from the pockets of his cargo pants, Lex pressed a sequence of buttons, before tossing it towards the shield. 

The mechanism hit the group with a rattle and then began emitting a high toned frequency that caused the Baazalanan to screech in pain. The noise was at a frequency only animals, such as dogs or wolves could hear, which worked appropriately for an alien species like the Baazalanan. 

“Enjoy that you fucking pieces of shit,” he growled with a sneer at the alien species continued to howl and screech in pain as the high pitched frequency rose in volume and the EMP shield burned any Baazalanan that attempted to past. 

Lex turned on his heel and stalked down the ruined street at a limping, but steady, pace. His steel bluish grey eyes scanned the area as he walked, wary of any surprise attacks, as he made his way back to the current base of the last of humanity.

**The Compound**

**12:00 Hours**

**Location: Unknown**

There hasn’t been a chance to see sunsets or sunrises in a very long time, not when the base of the last of humanity was beneath the ground, in a bunker that used to be utilized in World War II. Now, the only safe place to survive was beneath the ground, where the various alien and demonic species couldn’t get in. Over the course of the last couple of years, modern utilities and medical facilities had been added to the bunker. Additionally, there was housing units, bathrooms, classrooms, a canteen, an armory, indoor gardens, and labs. 

The scientist who survived the initial purge used these labs to create new weapons and various scientific experiments, in an effort to continue the survival of what was left of humanity. One of the current experiments they were working on was attempting to build a machine that would allow them to send someone to the past. It has been a plan they have been working on for nearly a decade, and finally they were nearly finished. It was why Lex and his team (who were killed by the  Baazalanan) were out that morning. Lex and his men had finally found their missing piece to the machine. 

Lex walked down the narrow hallway of the bunker, by passing various rooms that housed those who have survived the purge so far, and turned left, walking deeper into the complex towards the labs. Very few were allowed past this point. Two armed guards stood at the doorway that led into the basement of the Compound. The two guards saluted Lex as he passed, causing the older man to smirk only when he had passed them, after saluting them in turn. He enjoyed the power he had, and still does, to wield it over the subordinates that had survived the initial attacks.

It was during his second presidential term that Earth had been attacked by aliens from a distant galaxy. The attack had been brutal and fierce. In just three years, half the population had been wiped out. By the seventh year since the attack, almost all of humanity had been killed off as a good source. The supposed Superheroes had done a better job then most at fighting back, but no one had expected other species of aliens to catch wind of Earth being a feeding ground. They never stood a chance. 

Lex walked through the double doorway that led into the lab that contained the machine to travel back in time. The piece he had acquired was already in the machine with a small cluster of scientists standing in a huddle as they talked about the results of the machine. 

The fifty-year-old scientist, genius, former multi-billionaire, and former President of the United States of America’s ignored the conversation going on among his team of scientists. Their conversation, a mere distant excited and buzzing noise to the once multi-billionaire, walked slowly around the machine with calculating interest shining in his eyes. After almost seven years, he and his team of scientists had finally succeeded in creating the machine. 

The scientists had finally noticed their leader was present. The bravest of the group stepped forward and spoke, “Sir, with the missing piece for the Machine finally in place, we ran diagnostics on it and it came back with outstanding results. We should be able to run an official test on it in another few months.” 

“I’m afraid that it won’t be possible to wait any longer.” Lex responded with a sigh. While he may not look like he was fifty-years-old, having not aged a day since his late twenties, he felt his age in his bones. With having gained all his memories back, and that had been a  _ thrilling _ experience, he had realized that his baldness had come with something else. He had a Regenerative Healing Factor that allowed him to heal from anything, even if there is absolutely nothing remaining of the body. Every injury he sustained would cease; he would be able to reform himself piece by piece. Even critical injuries can be healed in a matter of seconds. He had discovered that complete destruction resulted in complete restoration.

All forms of cellular injuries and disease infection can be healed at a metaphysical level, by rewriting all damage to a mere memory, even if said injuries appeared before the regeneration powers were obtained, such as heredity illnesses and unformed limbs. This, Lex discovered, was due to the cells and telomere lengths not being shortened in any way. Which is the reason why he hasn’t aged and why even forms of sustenance intake required is minimal. He discovered that he is now also immune to drugs, disease, and all harmful foreign substances, and will forever be in optimal health and physical prime.

The regeneration also extends to his mental, emotional, spiritual and temporal existence as much as his physical state, rendering all damage to the mind, soul and timeline to be restored to its perfect working state, and blocking one's mind from any attacks or invasive attempts. It was why he was able to get his memories back. Lex’s ability had forcefully awoken during the initial attacks, but his aging had stopped early on in his life. He, whenever he reappeared after healing from life threatening injuries, was in different spatial positions upon regeneration, which allowed him to evade any potential jamming into the body. 

Lex gave the scientists a look, “Dr. Strange,” he began as he faced Dr. Adam Strange, a scientist that had once worked at S.T.A.R Labs before the attacks. “We do not have time to wait. I have been informed by scouts that we have on the surface that a rather large horde of various alien species is coming towards out location.” Silence fell in the room as everyone turned to look at their leader. If these aliens found their location, the last of humanity would certainly become extinct. Dr. Strange gave a terse nod to Lex and turned to face his scientists. 

“We need to set it up now.” Dr. Adam Strange said as everyone in the room began to rush to get the Machine and the other equipment that would monitor the Machine and Lex. 

It was because of Lex’s regenerative healing factor, as well as the fact that he was a genius, and a multi-billionaire in the past, that made deciding to send him back to the past to save humanity as the best option. Alexander “Lex” Luthor has the greatest chance of succeeding in saving humanity by preparing them for what is to come. Lex found this rather ironic, considering before his memories had been taken from him, he had been a villain of the highest caliber. While he would work to stop humanity from becoming extinct, that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to take this change to better his past and future. 

There were many things he would have changed, Lex mused to himself as he took a seat on the Machine. It was a circular metal shaped platform with a black leather chair, that looked like a dentist chair, with straps that strapped him down so he didn’t hurt himself during the process. Surrounding the platform, in what could be considered it’s four corners, was four metal pillars with ancient and alien hieroglyphics that would begin to glow blue and connect with each other. The power it was using was an accumulation of electromagnetic energy, the solar power that came from the sun by solar panels they had on the surface, and the Stones of Power, also known as the Stones of Knowledge or simply the Elements. 

Once Lex had gotten his memories back, and began planning to going back to the past, he had broken into the Fortress of Solitude, forced Jor-El (an Artificial Intelligence) to tell him how to go back in time, and then stole the Stones of Power as they would be able to get him back to the past. Of course, he only gained the AI’s help after promising that he would ensure that he helped Clark when he went back to the past. Lex had planned to help Clark anyways, even before assenting to the AI’s demands, as Lex wanted to ensure Clark’s loyalty to him this time around.

Once upon a time, he and Clark could have been something great together. There was a point, before everything happened, that they could have had a chance to be together as a couple. However, the constant lies and distrust between them had been a continuous a mark against them. Especially once Clark began to believe Lionel over Lex. That was something that Lex couldn’t forgive Clark for. Not when Clark had heard the stories about the abuse he was put through by his father, and at times his mother. His parents had been the reason why his older sister had run away from home when she was fifteen-years-old, compared to his five years of age at the time. Once they had disowned her, it was like she never even existed. 

Lex kept his muscles loose as the Machine began to hum to life. It was understood by everyone in the room that the Machine was going to be extremely painful as it forced Lex into his basic matter and sent him to the past. From what they had discussed with the Artificial Intelligence Jor-El, it would send him to any year in the past he wanted to go back, as long as he was alive in that year. 

The Machine continued to hum steadily as the hieroglyphics began to glow a brilliant blue. The light shines brilliantly as the pillars connected together. A blue dome of power covered the platform and made it impossible to see Lex Luthor’s sitting form in the middle of it all. The air was heavy with power and magic, making it difficult for those surrounding the platform to breath. The hum grew louder as Lex’s screams of pain raised in volume as well. 

Chills ran up the watching party’s spine at the sound of pure agony. They had all known it would hurt, but seeing how badly it hurt, was a completely different story. They all watched in horror, before having to turn away as the light became too bright for their eyes to handle. The hum and scream of pain reached a crescendo, before silence fell over the room. All those that had been in the room, turned back to see that the Stones of Power and Lex Luthor were gone. 


	2. Is Always A New Beginning

**March 17th, 1989**

**Metropolis, New York**

**Luthor Manor**

Alexander “Lex” Luthor moans and groans in pain, as the agony of inflicting memories of five decades worth, assaults his nine-year-old body and mind. When he and his scientist came up with this scheme, to send him back to the past, they had known he would feel excruciating pain. He was sending a little over fifty years worth of memories to his child self and his soul (so to speak) which would merge with his younger self, there is bound to be pain felt. Lex has experienced his fair share of agonizing pain in his lifetime, but he has never endured the sensation of what feels like his body being flayed with fire from the inside out and what feels like electric barbed wire piercing his mind. The small nine-year-old body shakes as his temperature rises with his ailment. 

In this one particular moment, Lex is sure he is going to die. His experience with various types of pain in his long life does not quite match up to what he is feeling now. Lex shoves his face into his pillow as another tremor of pain courses through his body. It makes him shake violently, his curly red locks of hair, something he hasn’t had in years, are drenched with sweat that cling to his face and neck. A high pitched cry of pure agony releases from his hoarse throat from previous cries of pain. The sound is only partly muffled by the pillow that lays beneath his head. 

Lex’s hands curl into fist, gripping the blanket tightly as tears from the pain slide down the sides of his temple and flushed cheeks. Another short scream escapes as gentle hands turn Lex over. “I’m sorry my love,” a distressed and worried voice reaches through the haze of shooting pains that inflict Lex. A cool press of a washcloth dabs at the child’s brow, creating a momentary reprieve from the misery he is inflicted with. 

“Something - - - wrong - - - doctor.”

“Temperature - - - burning - - - lowered.”

“Started - - - won’t - - - pain.”

Words from the blurry figures standing over Lex filter in and out of his mind. His fever only makes him feel like he is even hotter, and it makes his stomach twirl with nausea. Lex’s head turns to the side as he vomits what little is in his stomach. The iron taste of blood clogs his throat and mouth as his body shakes once again. 

Panicked voices raise in alarm at the sight of Lex vomiting up blood. It is a blur of time passing before there is a rush of movement occurring as Emergency Medical Technicians run into the room, having been let in by the Luthor's family butler. There are loud noises as Lionel and Lillian begin to demand answers while the EMT’s quickly set to work on saving their son. 

Arlene “Lee” Luthor, the nineteen-year-old daughter of Lionel and Lillian Luthor, watches in horror as her baby brother fights to keep breathing. She was coming to say goodbye to him that night, when she found him in a state of convulsions. It was she who screamed for Lionel and Luthor, who came running into the room to find their son seizing and screaming from pain. 

Lex’s vision tunnels as the feeling of numbness overcomes him. His eyes roll to the back of his eyes as he collapses back on the bed. His body seizes, shaking the nine-year-old’s body and causing everyone to lunge forward in an attempt to keep him from falling off the bed and harming himself. The conscious Luthor’s can only watch in horror as Lex loses consciousness, much to their fright. 

**March 21st, 1989**

**Metropolis General Hospital**

**Metropolis, New York**

There is someone gently humming when Lex awakes to the beeping of a heart monitor. Bright blue eyes flutter open and squint against the bright light that consumes the room. He groans and squeezes his eyes shut again. He feels like he had a run in with Superman. The days following those encounters are always memorable. He also feels like he did after coming down from a weekend long bender of drugs, sex, and booze when he was a teenager. Now _those_ times were as memorable as encounters with Superman. 

“Thank god you're awake!” A feminine voice whispers happily. Arlene Luthor is well aware that any loud noises or bright lights will hurt her younger brother. “I’ll turn the lights down,” she whispers as she stands up from a chair and walks across the room, reaching for the light switch. 

Lex carefully opens his eyes again, once the voice of his hospital visitor, sits back down again. Bright blue eyes connected with bluish grey eyes that hold a glistening film of tears. Strawberry blonde hair is pulled back into a high ponytail, showcasing creamy pale skin that is unblemished by acne or scars. 

It has been a very long time since Lex has seen this particular face. In his now former alternate timeline, the last time he saw his older sister Arlene, he was the exact age he is now. She had left in the middle of the night when he was nine-years-old. There had been no note or letter. There had been no goodbye. One night she had disappeared and never tried to get in contact with him or their parents again. It had been a sore spot for him for years, and he had acted like he didn’t have an older sister. No one ever spoke of Arlene Luthor, and now he is faced with her again. 

“Lee, what’s wrong?” Lex asks with concern, slipping into the moniker he gave her when he was a child. From the memories he has of his older sister, she was never opportunistic or advantageous, much to their parents' frustration. She was empathetic, benevolent, and charitable. She was nothing like what a Luthor is _supposed_ to be. Perhaps, that is why he had liked Clark so much. Subconsciously, his desire to be near someone who is so unlike the money hungry fiends he’s been surrounded by his whole life, made him desire friendship, and perhaps something _more_ , with Clark. 

Arlene frowns and reaches out with a slim pale hand. She grabs his left hand in her right hand and holds it for a long quiet moment. “You really scared me Lex,” she murmurs in a tremulous tone of voice. “I went to check on you three nights ago and I found you burning up and delirious.” 

Lex nearly frowns at her response. He has a suspicion that those handful of days ago, was when Arlene originally left. However, when he came back to the past and his body became ill from the merging, Arlene stayed rather than still leave. 

_But will she truly stay? Or will she leave once I’m better?_ He wonders with curiosity. 

“Are you still going to try and leave again Lee, once I’m better?” He asks his older sister. Lex figures, rather than beating around the bush, he’ll straight out ask her. She is ten years his senior and was another motherly figure, when their own mother is too consumed with her own work. With their own parents constantly working, they rarely have time for their two children. 

“How did you -?” Arlene pauses and shakes her head. She should have known that Lex would have figured it out. He is a genius after all. “I was going to, but David left me behind, even after I told him what had happened to you, he didn’t care.” 

Lex didn’t feel much pity that she didn’t actually go with a low life like David. While Lex never saw his sister again, it doesn’t mean that he wasn’t aware of where his sister lived. How she lived in poverty with her two children, left behind by the lowlife she had abandoned her family for. Lex never felt the need to reach out to her. Considering she left their family for a reason. 

Now however, he can take advantage of his sister staying here and use her to assist him in his plans, and so he gently squeezes Arlene’s hand in his. While he knows his father will never make Arlene heir to Luthor Corp, Lex can still utilize his sister in an effort to begin building what he needs, if he wants to save Earth from the alien invasion and being overrun by demons. 

Lex came back to this particular time, and at this particular age, because he counted on it being around when Arlene was supposed to leave. With seeing him ill and close to dying, it has made her concern and love rise up. She will remain here to watch over him, because she knows their parents can’t be trusted to do so. If Lex can use Arlene’s loyalty and affection for him, he’d have someone completely faithful and trustworthy to work for him, until he can do it himself. 

There is nothing better than the knowledge that he will be outsmarting and outclassing his father again. The idea of leaving his father furious and frustrated, unable to figure out who is behind these great jumps in technological leaps, among other things, makes a wicked smirk want to curl across his lips. 

“You still have me,” he finally says with a smile that hides the adult he is inside. “I’ll always be there for you Lee,” Lex adds as he squeezes Arlene’s hand again. 

Arlene squeezes his hand in turn and smiles sweetly, and with a hint of sadness, at her baby brother. “I’ll always be there for you too Lex,” she replies. 

It is a sad thing to realize that the siblings only truly had each other to depend on. 

**August 23rd, 1989**

**Sunnydale, California**

**Sunnydale Park**

Lex swings silently on the swingset; his head is tipped backwards as he enjoys the rush of the wind blowing through his thick locks of auburn hair. Forward and backwards his legs swing as he enjoys the break that his tutor has given him. Everything was so easy for him, including the additional tutoring classes he has been given by his parents. His eidetic memory helps him retain information easily and leaves him feeling bored. With his level intellect rating at an astonishing 7th level intellect, making him the smartest person in the world, with testers saying his intellect will likely grow even more by time he reaches adulthood. Lex didn’t remark on how he purposefully ensured that he didn’t do as well as he could have. It wouldn't do to appear too smart, not yet anyways. Just with his intellect as it is, his parents jumped at the opportunity to give Lex any tutor they could get their hands on. 

He is afterall the Heir to the Luthor family businesses.

Lex sighs as he continues to swing and enjoy having hair again, although it isn’t going to last, since in a little less than a month and a few weeks, he will be going to Smallville where the Meteor Shower will be. He is going to enjoy it while he can. The last three months, he has taken a little adjusting to get used to all the availability of food, clothes, and other various things that people take for granted. He has begun to look into ways that this second chance will let him change his Destiny to fit his needs. Lex will save the World of course, but that doesn’t mean he won’t use this chance to his advantage. 

Arlene sits beneath a large oak tree, on a blanket with a book in her lap, as she reads quietly. While it appears she is completely engrossed by the book, her eyes continuously glance up to check on Lex as he swings. It brings a smile to her lips at seeing her brother enjoying something as mundane as swinging. Never did her younger brother get the chance to enjoy free time the way that a child should. 

Lex is always being pushed by their parents to be better and greater. It all began when he was walking and talking earlier than most toddlers. Then he started reading books for people twice his age and his parents had been thrilled. She isn’t jealous of the attention that Lex has to endure. While she is smart, she isn’t the genius her brother is, and so that leaves her with more leniency. Unlike Lex, who already is expected to be the best and act a particular way. The nineteen-year-old sighs and watches as another small redheaded girl steps up to the swings her brother is on. 

“Hi,” a voice says off to the side of the swingset. Bright blue eyes open and Lex turns his head towards the sound of the voice. A red haired girl, around the same age as Lex, with the color of her hair being nearly the same shade as his and bright olive green eyes, is standing beside the metal pole that keeps the swings up. 

“Hello,” Lex greets awkwardly after a moment of surprise. He has never been the most sociable child, even when he was an actual child, but now that he has a lifetime worth of memories, Lex generally tries to steer clear of children. He can play it off as being an eccentric genius, but it’s harder when he has to try and react as a child, if he wants to play being a child. Lex mainly tries to spend most of his time around adults. At least then, the conversations are stimulating and he can act a little more mature. 

Of course, he still had to interact with the children of his father’s associates. Usually, he has to spend time with children like Oliver Queen, Jason Teague, and Patricia Swann. However, he knows that sooner, rather than later, Lionel’s company will grow bigger and he’ll be associating with the likes of Bruce Wayne, Warren Worthington III, Harry Osborn, Sophia Fawley, Imogen Prince, Charlotte Rhodes, Seraphina Bass, Liam Croft, Quinn van der Woodsen, Harper Waldorf, and Auden Gatsby. All children of millionaires and billionaires, people that Lex will ensure friendship or acquaintanceship of, if he desires to succeed on his mission to save Earth. 

“My name is Willow. What's your name?” The girl, Willow, asks as she plops down on the swing beside him. Her eyes are wide and curious as she looks at the other boy. She has never seen him before at the elementary school.

“My name is Alexander, but everyone calls me Lex,” he replies with a small smile. His grip on the chain of the swing tightens as he slides to a slow swaying. He wonders how this situation will turn out for him. In his alternate timeline, he never went to Sunnydale to visit his Uncle Anthony Harris or his wife Jessica, when his father went there to visit. 

Ever since his near death, when he came back to this particular time, his father has been keeping a closer eye on him. It’s almost like Lionel is actually _concerned_ about him. Lex isn’t entirely sure how he feels about that. He can only ever recall the constant _strife_ that distanced Lionel and Lex from each other. The two Luthor men had constantly been at odds with one another. 

Finally, after the constant fighting between them, Lex had murdered his father, after coming to the realization that his father went to Smallville for the Traveler, and that Lex was a casualty in his father’s quest for more power. Discovering the Veritas society his father had been a part of, and learning about the Traveler theory, made that realization even clearer. 

When Lex had been told what the Traveler theory said, about how it foretold of a being that would come to Earth and need protecting before he was able to save the planet from destruction, well it hadn’t taken Lex very long to realize that the Traveler was and is Clark Kent. Not that Superman was able to actually keep the planet from destruction in the end. Clark and all the other so-called Superheroes were the very first casualties, when they tried to protect Earth, and they had failed. Now it was Lex who had to work on saving the planet from annihilation. 

“It’s nice to meet you.” Willow cheerfully says with a smile. 

Her voice pulls Lex from his brooding thoughts, making him shove them away so he could focus on the present. “It’s a pleasure to meet you too,” he replies politely. “I like your name. It's named after the willow tree, right?” Lex asks with a friendly smile. His bright cerulean eyes glimmer in the light of the sun. The sound of children laughing and screaming near the gym equipment surfaces through the air. Lex is curious to see where this new _friendship_ will lead him. He has never really had a friend before. There’s been acquaintances and people under his payroll, but the only friend he thought he had, wasn’t truly a friend in the end. 

“Thanks.” Willow says with a pleased smile. “What do your parents do?” Willow questions with an inquisitive gleam in her eyes. She reminds Lex of himself. He too has always been curious and has a thirst for knowledge.

“My father is the CEO of LuthorCorp.” Lex answers in response to her question. He is pretty sure this strangely friendly and cheerful redhead has no idea what LuthorCorp is. “He's the boss of his own company. He's always busy with meetings and paperwork,” he explains to the young girl. “My mother is a scientist and works in Metropolis at Orphosis Industries. What do your parents do?”

“They're psychologists.” Willow replies with a shrug. It’s obvious to Lex that the child doesn’t truly understand what that means exactly. “They're always working and travelling.” There’s a frown across her lips when she says this. Her expression crestfallen at the thought of not being able to spend more time with her parents. It’s clear to Lex that Willow is much like him, when it comes to their parents preferring their jobs rather than their children. “So my grandma Rose lives with us and takes care of me,” she explains. 

Lex, when he was an actual nine year old, had been upset for a time, about not being able to spend time with his parents, until he was given a firm discussion from his parents about the importance of their _work_. His parents have always been far more concerned about their work, then spending time with him or his sister. He was soon going to be attending Excelsior Academy, when he turns eleven-years-old. Currently, Lex is tutored on various subjects that his parents deemed suitable for him to learn. Unfortunately, Lex already knows most of the subject matter, and has been utilizing his eidetic memory as a way to advance through the subjects. 

“Where do you live?” Willow's next question snaps Lex from his thoughts.

“My sister and I are staying with my Aunt Jessica and Uncle Tony.” Lex stops swinging and looks down at his lap. He picks at his pants in thought. It’s harder than one thinks, trying to act younger than he is. Why did he think this was a good time to come back to? “We’re supposed to stay here until the second week of January. Then my father's going to come take us back to Metropolis.”

“At least you’ll be able to spend time with me and my friend Jesse until then,” the redhead says. Her attention is turned to the left where a brown haired and brown eyed boy is making his way over to the swing set. “Hi Jesse.” Willow greets him with a wave and smile. “I want you to meet my new, other, best friend Lex. Lex, this is Jesse,” she introduces as she looks between the two boys with a pleased smile.

Lex realizes at that moment, while looking between these strange and naive children, that they would never survive in his world. They were too open and friendly. They would be eaten alive should they ever have to deal with the people he did. The children he associates with are just beginning to learn the art of manipulation and blackmail, among other things, and that is the difference between these children. The children he is forced to interact with are already trying to make connections for later on in life. 

Lex rather _likes_ how refreshing it is to be around Willow and Jesse and not have to worry too much about ulterior motives they could have. That isn’t to say he’ll tell them any of his _secrets_ or things that _could_ be used against him. His two new _friends_ won’t have the chance to use anything against him. He’s looking forward to having them in this lifetime. 

“Hi.” Jesse welcomes with a smile. He takes the swing on the right side of Lex, while Willow sits on Lex’s left. “It's nice to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too.” Lex replies with a smile. “How long have you two been friends?” He questions curiously. 

“We've been friends since school started.” Jesse says with a smile. “She was in the corner crying because Cordelia Chase had broken her yellow crayon. I let her share mine, and that's when we became best friends,” the other boy remarks. He slowly begins to swing, moving his legs slowly backwards then forwards.

“Does this Cordelia Chase still pick on you?” Lex questions Willow. It’s rather obvious that once a bully, they generally remain a bully, until they get a rude awakening. So he honestly won’t be surprised if this Cordelia Chase still bullies others. 

“She’s rich, so she picks on others who aren’t.” Willow explains with a frown. “She thinks she’s better than everyone.” 

Lex frowns in consideration at the description of this Cordelia Chase. She definitely wasn’t a person he would ever consider a friend, but that certainly didn’t mean he wouldn’t find some way to use her. He's sure he will have to put the brat in her place first. After all, he doesn’t tolerate others hurting what he considers _his_. “She sounds like some people I know,” he remarks with a casual wave of his hand. 

Jesse sighs and shakes his head. “She's not that bad,” he attempts to defend the girl he has a crush on.

Willow giggles at the brown haired boy. “You say that 'cause you like-like her,” the girl says as she raises a hand, brushing the locks of red hair out of her eyes. 

Lex looks between the two friends as they begin to bicker with each other. He feels rather out of place with the way they act with each other. He remembers watching how Clark interacted with his friends and it is much like how Willow and Jesse do now. 

It is at this moment that Lex realizes what a friend is supposed to be like. The distrust that Lex had experienced with Clark and his family made it difficult to be friends with him. It didn’t help that the Luthor name came with a stigma that was hard to shake off. This time will be different. This time, he’s going to show another side of the Luthor’s, and make them more receptive to him. With a determined expression crossing his face he comes to the decision that he will start working with Arlene to get the businesses he had in mind going and go buy casual clothes. Lex knows if he wants to change the stigma of the Luthor name, he best start it now, otherwise it will be too late by time he’s in his teenage years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do apologize for any grammatical errors, solecisms, or if Lex appears to be out of character. This chapter was honestly a little difficult to write, mainly in regards to trying to get a feel for Lex's character. I'm sure he'll be a little OOC at times, but it's to be expected. He did go through the world ending and being one of the last survivors of humanity. He's also a fusion of being one who followed his Destiny and now trying to be a Good person. He won't immediately stop seeing people as tools, being manipulative and obsessive when he desires knowledge, or selfish. Lex will definitely have to learn how to be Good, and he'll have help through friendships with Willow and Jesse, Bruce Wayne, and a few others. That's not to say he still won't be Lex, he just be greater than the sum of his parts. 
> 
> Also, Lillian Luthor is a mix of her Smallville and Supergirl/Arrowverse character, so she will often be a conundrum, mainly because of her psychological issues.
> 
> Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Everything may seem like it's moving slow, it's because it is. Lex has been researching the word's current technological revolution, economic growth, militaristic power, etc. to see what exactly he will need to develop to ensure that the world will survive. Lex wants to advance the world, make it so no extraterrestrials think their world is so weak that they can conquer it. However, he wants to be the one that everyone turns to for the answers.

**Author's Note:**

> Reviews and Kudos are always appreciated!


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